Two AM
by Runi-chan
Summary: She wasn't like other girls he couldn't drape himself over her, couldn't understand her easily, and sometimes couldn't even get close. He reasoned that's what made her so attractive to him. GarfieldRaven. Somewhere between Crisis and OYL.


_Admittedly, I'm a DC girl. Well, Teen Titans and Batman at least. And the newest series running for Teen Titans (Is is just "Teen Titans", even though there's a good chunk of New Teen Titans in it?) is superb...especially with how it handled the Crisis. _

_ Writing this to show love for BB/Rae, who would have just the sort of relationship that's fun to write; all little, cute things. Maybe a little drama, but mostly cute. What can I say; I'm a Smellerbee/Longshot fan over in the Avatar fandom..I like cuteness. Also writing this because I caught the first few moments of Superman:Doomsday, and the voices dissapoint me. Character designs too. I was expecting JLU voices and animation. WHY WAS IT NOT THERE? What is wrong with you people? Whatever happened to the DC AU?_

_Oh yeah. "The Batman" and "Teen Titans" animated series'. Right._

_Summary: She wasn't like other girls; he couldn't drape himself over her, couldn't understand her easily, and sometimes couldn't even get close. He reasoned that's what made her so attractive to him. Garfield/Raven. Somewhere between Crisis and OYL.  
_

_Disclaimer: Inspired by remembering the half-second that OYL takes to acknowledge Raven/Garfield, and Corinne Bailey Rae's "Like A Star" and Colby Cailat's "Bubbly". I don't own._

* * *

Garfield padded across the floor on two feet, yawning. It was 2.35 in the morning, his sleep-drowsy mind registered. Why was he in the kitchen again? Was he hungry? He yawned again; he was no good with questions. Ask anyone who'd try to school him. He was better with asking them of others, not answering.  
Which didn't matter now, with Vic somewhere out in space, and Connor... 

Now he was awake, and he cursed silently. He'd sacrificed himself and saved everyone but...it didn't seem fair. He was so young...

Never changed anything for a hero though. He could name a lot of people who didn't deserve to go when they did. Of course, he also knew quite a few that had come back, a thing for which he was most grateful.

Ah well. No use wasting perfectly good energy. Garfield remembered he was in fact hungry, and tugged open the fridge. A false glow spilled onto the floor, and Garfield sighed.

Of course there wasn't anything he wanted. There was some concoction left over from Kory (Gar reasoned that it stayed in the fridge half out of remembrance for Kory, and half out of wondering if the strangely textured matter would come to life and fight the eviction), and lasagna left over from when Cassie had tried to cook. It wasn't bad, but...it wasn't the best he'd ever tasted. Garfield supposed it was from her trying to make it vegetarian, out of concern for...his mind didn't recall. There was other food left in there, but it wasn't anything he felt adventurous enough to eat at two in the morning.

Nimble fingers pulled open the lunch meat drawer...a small variety of cheese; he pulled some american and monterey jack and began a hunt for crackers. He shut the door and turned towards the cabinets.

The moon was just about full...oh, what had his mother told him that was? Oh, waxing. Calm light flooded through the windows into what served as a living room, illuminating the mostly empty room.

Empty, that is, except for someone he knew very well. Someone he hadn't spoken to very much in the past few days.

"Raven?"

The empath didn't look over, but she nodded her head. She was sitting on an ottoman, gazing out the window. Garfield tossed his cheese back onto the counter.

"I'm sorry, did I.."

"No, Garfield. I couldn't sleep."

"Oh."

And it was silent again. That happened a lot with Raven; as much as everyone made the effort to make her feel wanted, she still couldn't help but be quiet and withdrawn. It wasn't something Garfield could blame her for. He'd watched for years as she fought off the destiny she was supposed to have.

"Bad dream?"

Raven only shook her head no. Garfield sighed; of course it was. He should have known; even without her father's influence, she still had trouble sorting things out. He joined her, taking a seat on the floor beside her.

"It's really nice out tonight."

"Yes."

A pause, then,

"Hey, Raven?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

She glanced down at him and sighed.

"No. No, I am not. Since Conner's passing, there's so much...tension here. I am not sure if I can handle this, this.."

"Yeah, " Gar scratched behind his ear, "it's a lot. Tim and all the rest of them, I don't think they've had to watch someone they care about go." He looked up.

"It's really hard."

Raven sighed deeply, and resumed watching the city skyline.

"At the least, he knew how much he was cared for. It is good that he did."

Confusion crept into Garfield's brain, but he responded.

"Yeah."

And then he remembered what had transpired a few days before Conner fought off that other Superboy, before, when Brother Blood tried to come back and wreak even more havoc...when it just been the two of them, alone. In the morgue. It came suddenly, as if some fragment of sleep still clung to his memory, and at the moment it decided to cede to reality.

His cheeks tinged a darker green for a moment, and he furiously willed it away before the empath would notice. No such luck.

"I...," her voice was quiet, uncertain, "...have given my explanation for that, Garfield."

Sometimes it was odd how she could figure someone out so fast. Unnerving, really.

"Wha? Oh, yeah, I just...I mean...," he sighed, tried to collect his thoughts. He wasn't expecting to confront this again; it'd been stewing in his mind for a while, and he intended to keep it there.

"What I mean is; why me?"

Raven's eyes were closed.

"I do not know, really. Perhaps it is because you never bore any ill will towards me, even after..."

She didn't need to finish that; it wasn't anything either of them wanted to relive.

"Oh."

It was the only thing he could say. He glanced up at her; moonlight softening the lines of her face as she sat there, clad in pajamas for once (Cassie had insisted). She was a beautiful girl, he could not deny that.

Garfield decided that he felt brave, and pulled himself onto the ottoman, beside her. Raven tensed, to have a body so close to hers.

"Well," he spoke, his usual wit creeping back into his voice, "I am flattered, my dear lady, to have your favor"

Anyone else would have grabbed her hand and kissed it. Anyone else would have drawn her in and kissed her. He simply bowed his head, grinning. And despite herself, Raven allowed a small smile.

"You know, Cassie's right"

"What?"

"You should smile more. It looks good on you."

Raven turned from Garfield, trying to hide the soft blush that tinged her cheeks.

"I...thank you," she replied, "you are most kind"

"No problem," a soft grin settled onto his features, "anything for m'lady. Now, if you will excuse me, I believe I was questing for something to eat"

He stood and started towards the kitchen again.

"Would you like something?"

Raven shook her head.

"I'm not hungry"

"Very well," he spoke, and bowed, "but the offer still stands, should you ever become so."

Garfield decided against cheese and crackers, and pulled an apple from the bowl of fruit on the counter. He gave one last smile to Raven before he made his way back to his room. As he walked, he mused over those few minutes, that quick discussion.

He couldn't figure her out. He couldn't drape himself all over her and be his usual flirty self. It was even difficult to get close to her, sometimes.

And maybe that was why he liked her so much. Maybe besides the fact that she'd always listened, and grieved when he'd grieved, and even in her darkest moments, fought with such tenacity.

Maybe it was because he liked a challenge.

----------------

Garfield was the first to wake up. Normally, it would have been Vic (who really didn't sleep anyway), and then Tim, and then the others as it so occured. But he was leader now, and when he opened his eyes, the clock proudly displayed 5.25 AM. The shapeshifter stretched and pushed himself out of bed, and made his way to the kitchen.  
Raven was asleep, oddly, curled up in the chair behind the ottoman. A bemused smirk graced Garfield's features; she was tired after all. He shook his head and pulled a blanket from the back of the sofa, and draped it over her. He began to walk away, when bravery struck him once more. He brushed the hair from her brow and lightly kissed her forehead. She squirmed slightly in her sleep, but calmed.

Garfield smiled. He'd deal with the almost certain reprocussions later. But for now; the sun was rising.


End file.
